The intersection of school racial composition and student race/ethnicity on adolescent depressive and somatic symptoms

Abstract

Schools are one of the strongest socializing forces in the U.S. and wield considerable influence over individuals' social and economic trajectories. Our study investigates how school-level racial composition, measured by the percentage non-Hispanic white students in a school, affects depressive and somatic symptoms among a representative sample of U.S. adolescents, and whether the association differs by race/ethnicity. We analyzed Wave I data from the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, resulting in a sample size of 18,419 students attending 132 junior and senior high schools in 1994/5. After controlling for individual and school characteristics, our multilevel analyses indicated that with increasing percentages of white students at their school, black students experienced more depressive symptoms and a higher risk of reporting high levels of somatic symptoms. After including students' perceptions of discrimination and school attachment, the interaction between black student race and school-level racial composition was no longer significant for either outcome. Our findings suggest that attending predominantly-minority schools may buffer black students from discrimination and increase their school attachment, which may reduce their risk of experiencing depressive and somatic symptoms.

Effect of School Racial Composition on Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms from Adolescence Through Early Adulthood

“…A few of these studies have examined the interactive effect between student race and school racial composition and have generally found that for black adolescents, attending predominantly minority schools is associated with better physical and mental health (Walsemann et al 2011) as well as a lower likelihood of engaging in some risky behaviors (Johnson and Hoffmann 2000). These findings mirror those conducted by neighborhood researchers who often find a group density effect such that health is better for residents when they live in neighborhoods where they are the numerical majority (Pickett and Wilkinson 2008).…”

“…A growing body of research exists that examines the effects of school segregation and school racial composition on adolescent health and health behaviors (Johnson and Hoffmann 2000;Botticello 2009;Walsemann and Bell 2010;Walsemann et al 2011). A few of these studies have examined the interactive effect between student race and school racial composition and have generally found that for black adolescents, attending predominantly minority schools is associated with better physical and mental health (Walsemann et al 2011) as well as a lower likelihood of engaging in some risky behaviors (Johnson and Hoffmann 2000).…”

“…Black and Hispanic students are at greater risk of experiencing discrimination within predominantly white schools than within predominantly minority schools (Feagin et al 1996;McCabe 2009;Walsemann et al 2011). For example, Feagin et al (1996) found that black college students attending predominantly white US universities reported differential treatment from professors and students, such as insensitivity to black culture, holding stereotypic views about black academic competence, and verbal harassment.…”

“…There are serious health consequences of discrimination; discrimination is associated with psychological distress, depressive symptoms, and major depression (Pavalko et al 2003;Williams et al 2003;Schulz et al 2006). Moreover, adolescents who perceive discriminatory treatment by teachers or staff are at greater risk of experiencing declining mental health (Roeser et al 2000) and higher levels of depressive symptoms (Juang and Cookston 2009;Walsemann et al 2011).…”

“…Because predominantly white schools often fail to adequately incorporate the values, interests, or history of people of color into the curriculum and school culture, black and Hispanic students attending such schools may feel alienated and subsequently disengage from school (Feagin and Sikes 1994;Lewis 2003). Indeed, Walsemann et al (2011) found that black students attending predominantly white junior and senior high schools reported lower levels of school attachment; they were less likely to report feeling part of their school, feeling close to people at their school, or feeling happy to be at their school. Others have found that black and Hispanic students hold more optimistic and pro-school attitudes (Goldsmith 2004) and are more connected to school (McNeely et al 2002) when they attend predominantly minority schools.…”